Category Archive

Barrel racing drills and exercises have been used for years to train and school barrel horses. An important point I want to make is that while the word used is “drill” this doesn’t mean you need to drill these exercises into their head or drill them into the ground doing them. Exercise is maybe a more appropriate word to describe …

NFR Qualifier Melanie Southard offers some great video tips on how to keep your horse from shouldering the barrels and some exercises to correct this problem. It’s all about controlling the hips, not the shoulders! If his hip is engaged, his shoulder has to be up in the correct position. Shouldering is a (bad) habit and in order to …

Check your tracks whenever possible. The red line indicates where many people accidentally end up. Make sure your horse is leaving the second barrel straight and strong (green line). The shortest distance between two points is a straight line, so be sure to keep your horse between your hands and legs to help him stay on the line. Look up …

I’m using myself as an example of what NOT to do. It turns out (as usual) that the video doesn’t lie. I had a pretty good run, our first outdoor run of the year and we placed second in the 1D against a group of horses who were also just getting rolling this spring. Not a big jackpot, but big …

If you are confined to a small space, or the only ground you have to work on isn’t that great, you do have options. Here’s a drill that NFR Qualifier, Futurity Winner, Calgary Stampede Champion Sue Smith does that will work in those cases. When your ground is poor and also when you are just learning this drill you can …

When do I change? Where do I change and why do I change there? I’ve been to quite a few barrel racing clinics and these are common questions. How do you train your horse to change leads out of first barrel (or between first and second barrel)? I’ve heard a variety of answers all from professional barrel racers with …

In barrel racing, it’s those smooth and effortless looking runs that can really stop the clock. Any time we can soften our horse and gain free, easy movement we have an opportunity to improve our efficiency on the pattern. The more efficient we are, the quicker our time. There are different drills and exercises that can help with this and …

Trotting on the wrong diagonal is like loping on the wrong lead. What is a diagonal? When a horse trots, it has a 2 beat, diagonal gait. As the right front moves forward, the left hind (diagonally across) moves forward at the same time. As the left front moves, the right hind moves forward. When posting a trot there is …

Take a moment and imagine you are astride your favorite horse standing with this scene stretching before you. Sun shining. Breeze blowing. A 70 degree day. Can you see yourself galloping up that hill? Which path with you choose? Will you go fast or slow? Mmmmmmmm. See where you will go. Perhaps in the past you have heard me extoll …

Can you think of a barrel racer that rides the same way every trip? Do you recognize how confident and solid their horse is? Our horse can only be as confident as we are, and part of our own confidence is having a plan. Know exactly where you want your horses’ feet to land and send them there with your …

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Michelle Davey